My name is Ofra Mayseless and I am a professor of developmental psychology in the Faculty of Education at the University of Haifa. Previously, I have served as dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Haifa (2006-2012) and head of Pedagogical Affairs in the Ministry of Education (2012-2013). I am a mother to three children, one of whom – Ouri – is not with us physically, and his death 15 years ago in a car accident in cold, faraway Alaska sent me on a personal journey to a spiritual path.
For me, this center is the culmination of a long process of experiencing, dreaming, connecting, falling down and getting up again, and trying – together with colleagues, companions and soul mates – to promote processes involving spirituality and the human spirit, and combine the world of academia and research with the endless, eternal landscapes of the spirit and the mind.
The center is already home to numerous activities in both research and teaching, as well as applications in various fields such as education, psychotherapy, health organizations, business organizations and group relations, in collaboration with colleagues from the center and outside it. This is only the beginning of our vision to connect and build a bridge of light between academia and spirituality, which will also facilitate beneficial connections between different people, and invite them to express their own passions and visions to do good in the world.
I hope that through the spiritual strengths within all of us, the knowledge and insights the world of research can provide, and the support of the realm of the spirit, together we will succeed in spreading light and goodness in the world.